Report highlighting positive news stemming from and of interest to budget conscious and public safety-minded states. The publication includes examples of states that reduced their juvenile facility populations and are now not only reaping the rewards of newfound funds that can be directed into more effective community-based services for youth, but are also seeing a better return on their investment in terms of juvenile rehabilitation and public safety.

The Alabama legislature created the Commission on Girls and Women in the Criminal Justice System to study the conditions, needs, issues, and problems of the criminal justice system in Alabama as it affects women and girls in the state. Based on research, investigation, and review, the commission is charged with developing comprehensive, evidence-based recommendations for how to fix the systemís shortcomings.

A school offense protocol, developed by the Birmingham City Schools Collaborative, is designed to reduce student arrests in schools and improve graduation rates by ensuring that minor student misbehavior is addressed in the schools, rather than in juvenile court. The protocol establishes a three-step process for handling minor infractions in school: a studentís first offense results in a warning notice from the school resource officer, the second offense results in a referral to the School Conflict Workshop program, and the third offense results in a referral to court.

Agreement between Birmingham City Schools, the Birmingham Police Department, the Jefferson County Family Court, and the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office for the purpose of establishing a cooperative relationship between community agencies involved in the handling of juveniles who are alleged to have committed a delinquent act over which the school may have disciplinary power.

Annotated guide to the Alabama Juvenile Justice Act of 2008 that is intended to aid legislators and others in locating the more significant changes in Alabama juvenile law made by the bill. The text of the bill contained in the guide is identical to the "plain" version of the bill (H.B.29/S.B.33). The guide does not comprehensively list every change that would be made by the bill, but summarizes the most significant changes.